


Sensors and Sensations

by Glowstickia



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Eldritch, Enemies to Lovers, Kissing, M/M, Prompt Fic, Prompt Fill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:21:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28308180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Glowstickia/pseuds/Glowstickia
Summary: Another late night at the agency when Nick turns in for the night, feeling a bit more stiff in the joints than usual. He has a pain in his neck, both literal and in the form of a Stranger.
Relationships: Mysterious Stranger/Nick Valentine
Comments: 7
Kudos: 19





	Sensors and Sensations

**Author's Note:**

> Written for my [Mystery Word](https://falloutglow.tumblr.com/post/637529275038416896/mystery-list) prompts!
> 
> I used two asks for this one!
> 
> Nick A1 - Dull  
> Nick/Stranger A6 -Solve
> 
> Still not over A6 being picked for this one goddamn asdkfsdf

It was getting late according to Nick’s internal clock. 9pm was fast approaching and Ellie had long since stepped out for an evening of drinks with Piper. He had the agency to himself… Ellie would give him a word or two if he worked all night again. He sighed to himself shuffled papers and photos back into their file. 

Nick stretched his back as he reflexively rolled his shoulders and pressed his palms against his lower back. With his desk cleared he turned off the desk lamp and rubbed the back of his neck. He glanced at Ellie’s desk, now holding the only source of light left in the office as he shuffled back to his room for the night.

His joints were stiff and he’d be lying to himself if he didn’t admit that  _ maybe _ he’d need to get a checkup from Dr. Amari. And soon.

His trench coat and hat were hung on the hat rack. Nick undid his shoulder holster and pulled his revolver out for another routine cleaning as he hung the holster up with his hat and coat. He placed the pistol on the nearby dresser and let his suspenders hang at his waist.

Nick rolled his neck and shoulders with a grunt. Weight and tension from his everyday wear...was lifted and while he already could tell a  _ Hell  _ of a difference, there was a stiffness he couldn’t shake. Like a phantom pain from old Nick, when he’d work long sleepless nights pouring over case files till his vision blurred or he started seeing double. He squeezed his eyes shut as he rubbed the back of his neck again with his good hand, trying to calm down his damn receptors.

After a couple minutes, he huffed and opened his eyes.

Nick stared at his waiting mattress as he undid his tie and tossed it next to his revolver. He wasn’t capable of the good old organic issues of getting ‘tired’. He didn’t get winded or feel muscles ache or the weight on his eyelids when he was pushing an all-nighter and Mr. Sandman tried knocking him out with some shuteye.

But there was an ache in his chest… an almost  _ longing _ … He knew what the sensations felt like. Old Nick’s memories flickered like an old film reel, playing through habits and lingering senses that didn’t match up quite right.

Nick glanced down at his hands. One with synthetic skin and the other a metal skeleton. Touch was… dull. He could still feel but-. He shook his head, pushing away the thoughts that plagued him anytime he let his mind wander too much or too deep.

He sat down on the edge of his bed and removed his shoes, gently placing them slightly under his bed and out of the way.

A vanilla folder stared at him. His lips thinned as his metal fingers brushed against it. When was the last time he opened this file? He huffed and pulled it out.

With the case file in hand, he opened the folder and re-read the same words he read thousands of times before.

“ _ The Mysterious Stranger” _

Nobody knew the man’s name. He’d appear and vanish within a blink of an eye. Aimed to kill with no time for chatter.

Nick flipped through the papers and licked his lips. The man could have potentially tapped into a supply of stealth boys. It’d explain how the guy could appear and disappear so quickly. Folks  _ could _ miss the tell tale shimmer of the cloaking device.

Nick’s index finger tapped the back of the folder. There  _ had _ to be a pattern. A connection. But trying to pin down who the guy would strike down next was… like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Wouldn’t be able to find the damn thing until you accidentally stab yourself while surrounded by hay and giving yourself hay fever.

Nick pinched the bridge of his nose as he closed the case file. The Stranger was a puzzle with far too many pieces missing. A cipher without a key. Nick worked with less and had hundreds of solved cases under his belt. He was used to dealing with slim chances and the odds stacked against him.

But there were far too many questions on his mind.

If he could just learn  _ more _ about this man, this  _ Stranger _ , maybe he could get a bit farther than being stuck at this damn wall blocking his way.

Why does he kill? Is there more than one? Perhaps someone started a legend to scare kids and inspired someone else. How old is the guy? The rumors out west…

It’s where he originated. It couldn’t possibly be the same guy unless-.

Nick’s eyes snapped open as he turned towards the office.

_ Creaaaaaaaaaak… _

A door, the front agency door, closed.

Nick slid the case file under his bed and sat up. His internal clock read close to midnight. He lost track of time while working through a case...again.

Any moment now, Ellie would try to slip by, slightly tipsy, doing her best not to disturb him as she’d go up to her room and pass out for the rest of the evening.

Or… so he thought.

The agency was quiet and dark. Nick tapped his knee as he waited, listening for the tell tale signs of life.

Nothing.

He eyed his pistol across from him and made up his mind. With resolve on his thoughts and gun in hand, Nick took a deep breath he didn’t need, and peeked into the office.

Only one light remained on, the lamp sitting on Ellie’s desk. He always left it on for her, so the office wouldn’t be in total darkness when she came back from having a night out.

And...well…

The man sitting nearby with his face veiled in darkness and shadows from his fedora… smiled at him.

_ ’Evening Detective.’ _

Nick’s brow furrowed as he stared down the very man he had been chasing. “The Stranger,” he growled as anger boiled in his chest. “what do you want?”

There was a chuckle and the Stranger stood up, adjusting his cuffs.  _ ’A moment. Did I wake you, Detective? Wasn’t positive if you did or not…though I have heard the phrase “justice never sleeps”.’ _

Coolant rushed to Nick’s core. He needed to calm down. Last thing he needed was to overheat, just when the killer showed up right at his doorstep. Nick narrowed his eyes as his grip tightened on his pistol. “No, you didn’t wake me.” He raised the gun, to which the Stranger tilted his head. “Now, why are you here?”

Stranger shrugged his shoulders.  _ ’You want answers, and I’ll admit, I am a bit curious about you as well.’ _

Questions swarmed Nick’s thoughts, clouding his mind only for a second. In that short span of time, the Stranger was in front of him, easing a hand on his wrists.

‘ _ After all, nobody knows what I’m capable of. Not even you.’ _ Stranger’s voice was...gentle. Alarms rang in Nick’s head as Stranger lowered Nick’s arms.  _ ‘Let’s keep this civil. Shall we?’ _

Nick gritted his teeth. He could shoot and end this ‘ _ game’ _ here and now. But...that’s...not how Nick wanted it to end.

At least, not yet.

Part of him  _ nagged _ at the potential this encounter brought. He wanted to  _ solve _ the enigma that is The Mysterious Stranger. And as tempting as it was to shoot the guy in his smug mug, it was even  _ more _ tempting to learn as much as he could before the Stranger vanished again.

“Fine.” The Stranger squeezed Nick’s wrist before releasing his grip. Nick eyed him for a moment. “I’ll put my gun on the desk if you do the same.”

The Stranger chuckled.  _ ‘Of course.’ _ He reached inside his coat and pulled out his .44 magnum gun, and placed it on the desk.

Nick, reluctantly, placed his gun next to the Stranger’s. Funny. He now knew the murder weapon, the exact gun that had killed, hundreds, maybe thousands of folks over the decades… The thought did not settle well with Nick. Not in the slightest.

_ ‘I’ve had it for as long as I could remember.’ _

Nick blinked as his eyes readjusted and focused on the Stranger. “...How far back can you remember?”

_ ‘Far enough.’  _ A smirk played on his lips,  _ ‘I doubt you’d believe my answer.’ _

Nick glared at him. “Considering you’re dodging the question-.”

Stranger raised his hands in defence. ‘ _ You’ve got the mind of a skeptic. Do you not?’ _

Nick took a step forward. “I prefer evidence. Facts.”

Stranger nodded.  _ ‘I have no doubt. Smart man like you knows what to look for. Conclusions to make.’ _ Stranger reached up and cupped Nick’s cheek.

Nick...froze as Stranger’s thumb brushed the edge of damage done to his cheek not too long ago. Before Nick could counter, Stranger lifted his head enough for Nick to see under the brim.

In the shadows were two inky black eyes with a spattering of bright flecks of white. Stranger's eyes were the night sky and they were mesmerizing.

Nick opened and closed his mouth as his brain short circuited. “You’re...not human.” He surmised, forcing the words out of his mouth.

_ ‘Correct.’ _

“Then…” Nick reached up to swat Stranger’s hand from his face, but stopped, “what the hell are you.”

‘ _ A being, if I recall, have been referred to by mortals as  _ **_eldritch_ ** _.’ _ Stranger said simply.

Nick shook his head, breaking contact with Stranger. “You’re full of-” Nick took a step back with widened eyes as shadows loomed over Stranger.

The desk lamp flickered as the metal walls and ceiling groaned.

‘ _ I’d be careful with your next few words, Detective.’ _

Nick frowned and got in Stranger’s face. “Let’s keep this civil, shall we?” Nick said, throwing Stranger’s own words against him, “Or does your word not matter?”

Stranger clicked his tongue and in a ‘blink or you’ll miss it’ moment, the flickering stopped, the shadows dissipated, and the room was quiet once more.

Stranger chuckled.  _ ‘You intrigue me, Valentine.’ _

He moved fast, too fast for Nick to fully register what happened until his sensors were able to relay it a second later.

Stranger kissed him.

And disappeared.

_ Poof. _

Nick blinked as he looked around the room. “What the- he was right there. Where-”

His eyes glanced at the desk and...the magnum was still there, next to his revolver, side by side on Ellie’s desk left untouched.

Strong hands grabbed Nick from behind and squeezed his shoulders.

* * *

Nick awoke from… He frowned.

No, he didn’t “sleep”, at least not in the human sense. His eyes scanned his room. Everything is where he left it...except for his revolver.

He sat up and instinctively rubbed his neck-.

The ache was gone.

He rolled his shoulders and the slight catch he typically felt...was gone. The movement was smooth, the smoothest it had been since his last tune up. Even then, he’d still typically had some sort of tension still built in his neck. Phantom pain from Old Nick who hardly ever unwound without the help of scotch, bourbon, or some other spirit in hand.

Yet, all that tension, be it mechanical or stress he refused to acknowledge before… was gone.

Nick sighed, finally reading his internal clock. 3am.

Whatever that bastard did to him-.

Nick stumbled out of bed and peered into the office. It was...empty.

The Mysterious Stranger had vanished once more, of course, not before knocking out and “tucking him into bed”.

Nick slowly approached Ellie’s desk. The lamp was still on. And sure enough his revolver laid there untouched… Exactly where he left it.

The .44 magnum was gone.

In its place was a scrap of folded paper.

_ Detective _

Nick picked it up and after a quick glance around the room, he unfolded the note.

‘ _ Wish I could have stayed longer, but my assistance was needed elsewhere. I look forward to our next encounter.’ _

_ -Farmer _

He inhaled deeply and released a long breath. He had a name… and new evidence…

Nick picked up his gun and a sharpened pencil. With renewed vigor in his stride, Nick had some more pieces to his case.

One of these days, Nick was going to solve that puzzle. The Mysterious Stranger, no,  _ Farmer _ , had left behind.

Nick was one step closer.

This was the best he felt in a long time. Dr. Amari could wait.


End file.
